Transition-year students Lydia Cullen Anderson and Elizabeth Falvey from North Presentation School in Farranree, Co Cork, with EMC mentor Nikita Jepifanovs preparing their robots using VEX Robotics technology
Secondary school students from Cork have been working with mentors from the storage hardware solutions provider EMC to build remote-controlled robots as part of a global initiative to help inspire students in pursuing careers in science and technology.
In all, students from eight schools across Cork have been working with mentors from EMC to build, programme and test remote-controlled robots using technology from VEX Robotics.
The Cork schools involved in the science-education initiative are Davis College in Mallow, North Presentation in Farranree, Bishopstown Community School, McEgan College in Macroom; Deerpark CBS from Turners Cross, St Colman’s Community College in Midleton, Coláiste Mhuire in Buttevant, and North Monastery, Cork.
EMC is hosting the VEX Robotics competition in Cork City Hall from today until 11 November as part of Cork’s science festival Discovery. The students’ robots will be battling it out during a ‘sack attack’ contest that will be played on a square field.
The finals of the competition will take place tomorrow and the overall winner is then set to qualify for a place at the VEX World Championships.
Ellen Lyons, principal at North Presentation School, said the competition has opened up a whole new world for the students involved to the wonders of science and technology and its practical applications.
“Technology is increasingly defining how we live and do business – and getting students to build robots in school is an innovative way for them to practically apply what they learn in the classroom,” said Bob Savage, the vice-president and managing director of EMC’s Centre of Excellence in Cork.
He said the robotics project has pooled together teaching, learning and technology in a way students can enjoy.
